NCJ Number
180728
Journal
Journal of Drug Education Volume: 29 Issue: 3 Dated: 1999 Pages: 217-233
Date Published
1999
Length
17 pages
Annotation
This article reports on a study of a sample of drug prevention programs in Nevada.
Abstract
Current social indicators suggest Nevada residents are in the upper 10 percent nationally for high-risk drinking and smoking behaviors. To address such problems in Nevada, the Nevada Bureau of Alcohol and Drug Abuse (BADA) funds a variety of prevention programs (n=62). Approximately 72 percent of these programs target school-aged youth. To date, these programs have not been evaluated as a whole, and evaluation of individual programs is rare; evaluations that have been conducted varied greatly in their rigor and utility. The current study sought to identify potential prevention outcomes and activities common to diverse programs within the Nevada prevention system. In addition, the study sought to better articulate the types of risk and protective factors targeted within the prevention system. The overall prevention system in Nevada espouses a "risk and resiliency" approach to prevention. Focus group methodology was used to study perception of outcomes of these programs from the perspectives of various program stakeholders (youth participating in the programs, parents of participants, and program staff). Analysis of the qualitative data yielded findings about potential outcomes as well as implicit program theories. In addition to the lack of conceptual coherence at the State level, this analysis suggests that most programs cannot clearly articulate their own programmatic theories. Implications for future planning efforts as well as further evaluation efforts are discussed. 6 figures and 11 references